The Film
If you're watching Jane Eyre, you probably have seen the story before in one of its many incarnations. However, director Cary Fukunaga (Sin Nombre) is bringing Jane Eyre to a new audience, and frankly, this latest version can sit with the best of them.
Don't worry; "new" does not mean that sweet Jane has received a rock-and-roll makeover. That said, this version does have a twinge of goth to it, and it's packed with young talent, such as Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland), who is a real standout in the title role.
The plot, however, should be extremely familiar. It follows the story of Jane, a young orphan, who endures years of physical pain and death of loved (and not-so-loved) ones. She eventually ends up at Thornfield Hall to care for a little French girl who may or may not be the daughter of her soon-to-be-beloved Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender).
Purists may pooh-pooh the movie version of Jane Eyre. After all, filmmakers had to take a few liberties to fit everything into the 121-minute runtime. They did so quite nicely, though. Mia and Michael also make for a beautiful couple, despite what they say on film (really?). It doesn't really matter what they say, however; they're hot enough to sell ice to the Eskimos. However, it's not just the way they look (remember, they aren't supposed to be a good looking pair), but that these two performances are pretty wonderful. Everyone around them isn't too shabby, either, but we really wouldn't expect any less from the likes of Judi Dench and Jamie Bell. Blink and you may miss Sally Hawkins as Mrs. Reed. You may want to blink though, since her performance is downright evil.
Ready for yet another look at this latest incarnation? Check out Beth McCabe's theatrical review of Jane Eyre.
The Picture
Jane Eyre is supposed to be sort of a plain Jane, but you'd never know it from this gorgeous looking film. Director Cary Fukunaga has quite the cinematography resume, and it shows here. There is a bit of a bluish tint throughout much of the film. It sets a wonderful tone for Jane Eyre, as well as the image displayed. The one downside is that some of the darker shots get a little noisy. It's brief, however, and not too distracting. It's also very forgivable because, for the most part, this 1.85:1 transfer is insanely sharp. Close-ups reveal some incredible facial details, as well as individual strands of hair. Also, you're going to want to reach out and touch some of that period-style clothing, which displays both awesome and uncomfortable looking textures.
The Sound
Jane Eyre features a surprisingly stunning DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 channel soundtrack. The film kicks off with the roar of thunder, mixed in with beautiful violins that could make a grown man weep openly. From there, Jane Eyre offers a decent amount of ambient sounds and crystal-clear dialogue. It also has more than a few bass-heavy moments that may cause you to jump, which again, is a pleasant surprise (in more ways than one) for this type of film.
The Extras
The highlight of this release's extras is the in-depth commentary, courtesy of director Cary Fukunaga. Also, almost 17 minutes of deleted scenes should delight most fans of the book and the film. Besides those two items, the rest of the featurettes included with Jane Eyre are surprisingly short. "A Look Inside Jane Eyre" is really just that -- a look. It's actually more like an extended trailer, with scenes from the movie and a few comments from the cast and Fukunaga. At under four minutes, it pretty much says nothing, as do the two minutes dedicated to the music from the movie. Finally, "The Mysterious Light of Jane Eyre" isn't really all that mysterious, considering they sum everything up in under two minutes.
Final Thoughts
Jane Eyre will be remade as long as there are movies. If you're a fan of the book or one of the countless other film versions, director Cary Fukunaga has created an update that is well worth your time. If you have yet to experience Jane Eyre in any form, this is a wonderful place to start. It's certainly a stylish production, but all of that is overshadowed by the film's many excellent performances -- and that's really saying something.
Product Details
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